--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think you are wrong, Basil, but I won't…" description: "\"I think you are wrong, Basil, but I won't argue with you. It is only the intellectually lost who ever argue.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6c/oscar-wilde-16_argue_i-think-you-are-wrong-basil-but-i-won-t_146189.jpg" --- # I think you are wrong, Basil, but I won't argue with you… ![“I think you are wrong, Basil, but I won't argue with you. It is only the intellectually lost who ever argue.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6c/oscar-wilde-16_argue_i-think-you-are-wrong-basil-but-i-won-t_146189.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6c/oscar-wilde-16_argue_i-think-you-are-wrong-basil-but-i-won-t_146189.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6c/oscar-wilde-16_argue_i-think-you-are-wrong-basil-but-i-won-t_146189.jpg) > “I think you are wrong, Basil, but I won't argue with you. It is only the intellectually lost who ever argue.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intellectual arguments often stem from pride; those who are truly lost may argue to prove themselves. **In simple terms:** Arguing shows pride, not wisdom. Key Takeaway Avoid needless debates. Themes pride argumentation intellectualism Mood reflective critical Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - political debates - online forums - personal disagreements Key Concepts philosophy ego communication Questions to Reflect On - Do you argue to win or to understand? - When is silence wiser? A Different Perspective Argument may not resolve underlying issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [It is only the intellectually lost who ever argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-only-the-intellectually-lost-who-ever-argue/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Well, you can't argue with somebody that won't argue back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-osteen/well-you-can-t-argue-with-somebody-that-won-t-argue-back/) [Victoria Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-osteen/) > [You're insane!" "I won't argue that point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-re-insane-i-won-t-argue-that-point/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“It is your best work, Basil, the best thing you have ever done,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-your-best-work-basil-the-best-thing-you-have-ever-done/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“With an evening coat and a white tie, as you told me once, anybody, even a stock-broker, can gain a reputation for being civilized.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/with-an-evening-coat-and-a-white-tie-as-you-told-me-once-anybody-even-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Lord Henry stretched himself out on the divan and laughed. "Yes, I knew you would; but it is quite true, all the same." "Too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/lord-henry-stretched-himself-out-on-the-divan-and-laughed-yes-i-knew/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I have been right, Basil, haven’t I, to take my love out of poetry, and to find my wife in Shakespeare’s plays? Lips that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-have-been-right-basil-haven-t-i-to-take-my-love-out-of-poetry-and/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Conscience and cowardice are really the same things, Basil. Conscience is the trade-name of the firm. That is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/conscience-and-cowardice-are-really-the-same-things-basil-conscience/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“He is some brainless beautiful creature who should be always here in winter when we have no flowers to look at, and always here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-is-some-brainless-beautiful-creature-who-should-be-always-here-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Basil Stag Hare tut-tutted severely as he remarked to Ambrose Spike, 'Tch, tch. Dreadful table manners. Just look at those three wallahs, kicking up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/basil-stag-hare-tut-tutted-severely-as-he-remarked-to-ambrose-spike/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [ Ernie Hayes, Jimmy Lewis, and either Belton Evans or Khalil Mahdi on drums \[were in Sweet Basil\]. All those guys really took care of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/ernie-hayes-jimmy-lewis-and-either-belton-evans-or-khalil-mahdi-on/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [When I was thinking about what we could do in terms of what production values of Broadway might be able to add to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-timbers/when-i-was-thinking-about-what-we-could-do-in-terms-of-what/) [Alex Timbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-timbers/) > [The scent organ was playing a delightfully refreshing Herbal Capriccio - rippling arpeggios of thyme and lavender, of rosemary, basil, myrtle, tarragon; a series…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/the-scent-organ-was-playing-a-delightfully-refreshing-herbal/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [ Illy \[Ray Illingworth\] had the man-management skills of Basil Fawlty ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-gough/illy-ray-illingworth-had-the-man-management-skills-of-basil-fawlty/) Darren Gough > [If you've got a plot the size of a car or a tiny yard in Italy, you're going to be growing tomatoes and basil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mayes/if-you-ve-got-a-plot-the-size-of-a-car-or-a-tiny-yard-in-italy-you-re/) [Frances Mayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mayes/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Argue quotes > [I'd rather argue with you than kiss someone else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fad-ibra/i-d-rather-argue-with-you-than-kiss-someone-else/) [Fad Ibra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fad-ibra/) > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [“But that is not true for all folk. Some folk are meant to argue with fate. And win.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/but-that-is-not-true-for-all-folk-some-folk-are-meant-to-argue-with/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they're yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/argue-for-your-limitations-and-sure-enough-they-re-yours/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [I like the fact that we argue but in the end we come together again realising how much we each need the other](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine/i-like-the-fact-that-we-argue-but-in-the-end-we-come-together-again/) [Josephine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Has learned that sometimes it is just easier to agree with someone, than to argue a stupid point they think they have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/has-learned-that-sometimes-it-is-just-easier-to-agree-with-someone/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [If you dont know, please ask. If you dont agree, argue. If you dont like it, please say it. But don't sit there quiet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-dont-know-please-ask-if-you-dont-agree-argue-if-you-dont-like/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [America gave the world the notion of the melting pot - an alchemical cooking device wherein diverse ethnic and religious groups voluntarily mix together,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-krastev/america-gave-the-world-the-notion-of-the-melting-pot-an-alchemical/) [Ivan Krastev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-krastev/) > [Don't worry when I argue with you. Worry when I stop because it means there's nothing left to fight for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-worry-when-i-argue-with-you-worry-when-i-stop-because-it-means/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“Be quick to resolve conflicts before they mature to become wars. The energetic crocodile was once a delicate egg!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/be-quick-to-resolve-conflicts-before-they-mature-to-become-wars-the/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I taught my executive team how to argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-mulally/i-taught-my-executive-team-how-to-argue/) [Alan Mulally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-mulally/) > [“People argue between Pele or Maradona. Di Stéfano is the best, much more complete.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pel/people-argue-between-pele-or-maradona-di-st-fano-is-the-best-much/) [Pelé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pel/) > [“The more women argue, loudly, against feminism, the more they both prove it exists and that they enjoy its hard-won privileges.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/the-more-women-argue-loudly-against-feminism-the-more-they-both-prove/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) Browse all 642 Argue quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think you are wrong, Basil, but I won't argue with you. 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